Harvey made the jokes during a Jan. 6 episode of his show. At the time he was mocking a 2002 book entitled "How to Date a White Woman: A Practical Guide for Asian Men."

“Excuse me, do you like Asian men?” Harvey asked. "No. Thank you."

"You like Asian men?" he asked again. "I don't even like Chinese food, boy. It don't stay with you no time. I don't eat what I can't pronounce."

Members of the Asian community did not find the jokes funny.

In fact, Eddie Huang, an Asian-American author who wrote the memoir "Fresh Off the Boat" responded to Harvey's jokes in an open letter to The New York Times. Huang said Harvey's jokes perpetuate stereotypes.

"He speaks openly about issues facing the black community, he is a man of God, and he has a huge platform to speak from. Unfortunately, he’s also the type of guy who orders Krug champagne for himself and Cook’s for every one else," Huang wrote. "For his own personal profit, he’s willing to perpetuate the emasculation of Asian men regardless of how hypocritical it is.”

The fallout over Harvey's jokes came at the same time as his 60th birthday.